Aftermath
by persnicketier
Summary: When the war is over and you're still standing, all that matters next is getting across the battlefield into the arms of the one you love. KakaSaku one-shot. T for one lone bit of coarse language.
Kakashi slumped back against a tree as his opponent wheezed and fell still at his feet. The distant booms that had been steadily increasing for the past several hours were suddenly fading away. Kakashi breathed heavily and pressed two fingers to the bleeding wound on his thigh. The forest was quiet. A cool wind rustled the leaves overhead.

Was it over now?

A flash of light caught his eye. A Konoha medic was running toward him, the sun glinting off his hitai-ate.

"Kakashi-san! How bad is it?" the medic puffed, crouching quickly to inspect Kakashi's leg.

"Is- is it over?" Kakashi rasped. His lungs felt heavy. He couldn't believe how much that last round had taken out of him. He was definitely getting too old for this.

"Yes, the Hokage just stopped the advance from the south", the medic said, balancing on the balls of his feet as he applied pressure to Kakashi's leg with one hand and pulled out a thick sheet of gauze from his kit with the other.

"You appear to be the last one fighting in this area and- hey, hey wait a minute, I'm not finished yet!"

The medic was knocked back on his bottom as Kakashi pushed off the tree, inhaled deeply, then began sprinting away from him.

"Kakashi-san your leg!" the medic called but Kakashi was already well away.

The wound was throbbing but Kakashi ignored it. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he sprinted faster than anyone who'd just fought a dozen opponents had any right to. The quiet aftermath of battle had left him with a single idea and he could not rest until it was realized.

 _Get to Sakura Get to Sakura Get to Sakura_

* * *

Sakura spoke in hushed, consoling tones to the young chunin as she poured chakra into the girl's chest. The chunin winced but slowly her groans subsided and she cracked an eye open to stare blearily up at Sakura.

"Th-thank you, Sakura-san".

Sakura smiled weakly down at the girl, concealing a wince of her own. Her arms were starting to burn from chakra depletion.

"I'll send a medic team with a stretcher for you," Sakura told the girl. "You'll be in the hospital for a few days but you're looking at a full recovery. You fought well today."

The girl blushed and nodded her thanks.

Sakura patted the girl's shoulder and got shakily to her feet. She surveyed the battlefield. All around medics were loading the wounded onto stretchers. But the sense of urgency that had pervaded the scene not even an hour ago had waned. They were through the worst of it. Konoha had been victorious again. Naruto, and every woman and man on the field today, had seen to that.

Sakura flagged down a medic team to tend to the chunin girl then looked around for another patient to attend.

"You can rest now Sakura-san", the medic team leader said, eyeing the way Sakura rubbed her tender arms. "The Hokage officially called an end to the fighting and those we've been able to save are in stable condition".

Sakura nodded absentmindedly. She let those words slowly sink in and as the stress of the battle floated away, only one thought took shape in her mind.

She suddenly turned sharply on the medic team. "Which direction did the Hokage send the Alpha squad? Do you know?"

The team leader sputtered for a moment, surprised by her abrupt change in demeanor and the resolve that now flashed in her green eyes. "I-Uh-um, I think they were sent along the eastern border but I can't confirm-"

Sakura did not wait for the team leader to finish that sentence. She turned heel and darted east, one idea pounding away in her head.

 _Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi_

* * *

Kakashi leapt over rocks and logs as he raced through the forest, not trusting himself to stay aloft if he ran through the trees. He thought he heard familiar voices shout his name once or twice but he kept on running.

 _South she must be south… they'd need her down there_

 _She'll be close to Naruto_

 _So much heavy fighting… all those causalities_

 _She was in the heavy fighting…_

Kakashi's feet pounded against the forest floor. His breath was coming shallow and he grunted against the pain spreading from his thigh but he didn't slow down.

 _Get to Sakura Get to Sakura Get to Sakura_

* * *

Sakura raced passed countless bodies, most of them in enemy gear but so many belonged to Konoha. She did not know yet who they had lost today. Tomorrow would be a day of mourning, a day of unbearable heartache. But right now there was still hope that Sakura's nearest and dearest had made it out alive.

Her arms pumped fiercely as she pushed onward, her footfalls heavy. Sweat poured down the back of her neck. Sakura felt a lump forming in her throat. She tried to swallow it and ran harder.

 _He's fine_

 _He's always fine_

 _He has to be fine_

 _Forty years I've seen him fight and he always gets back up_

 _But what if he's-_

"Sakura-san!" a voice called.

"I can't! I'm so sorry!"

 _I can't I can't I can't_

Sakura's legs were burning more than her arms now and she felt tears in the corners of her eyes. She was too old for tears and cursed herself for allowing them but even after all these years they were impossible to shake in the aftermath of a battle.

Especially when there was so much to lose.

 _Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi_

* * *

Kakashi burst through the tree line and veered further south. His pant-leg was now completely blood-soaked, his thigh blazing. And what was that sharp pain in his back? He couldn't remember getting hit there. But he ached all over. Combat these days took a toll on every inch of him.

His bodily discomfort was nothing compared to the mental anguish he was experiencing just now.

 _She'll be fine_

 _She'll fix you up like always always_

 _She has to be fine_

 _Her chakra her chakra her chakra_

He made a noise of impatient frustration.

 _Where the hell is she?_

 _She's fine_

 _She's always fine_

 _Forty years of watching her fight and she always comes out stronger_

 _She's too stubborn to-_

Kakashi hissed and ran on.

 _Get to Sakura Get to Sakura Get to Sakura_

* * *

The tears were streaming freely now but Sakura blinked them away. Besides, she knew she was not the only one shedding tears today. As she headed east more bodies peppered the fields. Shinobi cradled their fallen comrades and survivors filled the air with moans of agony. Sakura's eyes darted from one cluster of people to another, from one body to the next.

 _Where the hell is he?_

 _Have to tell him Have to tell him Have to tell him_

 _Please let me tell him please_

Sakura thought her heart might burst, if not from emotional strain then certainly from physical exertion. She had healed so many today. She was at her limit, beyond it even.

But she pushed on.

 _Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi_

* * *

And then he saw her, across the field. That beautiful bob of pink hair like a beacon guiding him home. Kakashi wasn't sure if the moisture running down his face was sweat or tears or both. The relief of seeing her upright, alive, running even, alive alive alive was instantaneous.

But just seeing her wasn't enough.

It was never enough.

 _Get to Sakura Get to Sakura Get to Sakura_

* * *

Was he honestly _running_ towards her? She could see his bloody leg even from this distance! The idiot! Did he even realize his mask was ripped clean away? All these long years spent hiding his face and now he was parading it out for the world to see. The fucking wonderful idiot!

Sakura was laughing and crying and laughing and running harder.

 _Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi Get to Kakashi_

* * *

They collided in a surge of sobs and blood and burning tendons. Kakashi reached a hand up to pull his mask down but Sakura's mouth was already on his, pressing hard. He used the last of his energy to squeeze her body against him. They both felt the sting of discomfort but reveled in the reality of experiencing it together. They kissed and roved hands all over, taking stock of the other, all the while talking quickly and over each other.

"I love you I love you I love"

"You're safe, oh god, you're safe"

"I kept thinking about that stupid fight the other day"

"I know I know it doesn't matter but I'm sorry anyway I was an idiot"

"I love you so much and I'm sorry too I'm the idiot I was so worried about you"

"You're safe that's all that matters"

"I felt like I'd never get to tell you again I love you I love you Kakashi so much"

"I love you I love you more than you'll ever know Sakura"

"You're safe"

"You're safe"

Sakura burrowed her fists into the back of Kakashi's shirt and nuzzled into his neck, sniffling and laughing in turn. He stroked her hair with trembling fingers and hummed softly beside her ear, his eyes closed in fatigue and contentment.

Nearby, a jonin recovering in the grass poked her teammate and nodded at Kakashi and Sakura.

"Take a look at the Hatakes," she said with an embarrassed smile.

Her teammate sat up, cradling a broken arm, and laughed good naturedly when he saw the pair. "I mean, I don't blame them but they're a little old for such a public display, don't you think?" he commented.

His teammate shook her head and smiled. "Naw, I think it's sweet. Guess I'd be worried too after a fight like this. I hope when _I've_ been married for 20 years I'm still that in love."

The other jonin shrugged and slumped heavily back in the grass, groaning as the movement jostled his arm painfully.

His teammate watched the huddled pair serenely for a moment longer then turned away, permitting them privacy.

Oblivious for the time being to the new realities of the post- war world around them, Kakashi and Sakura maintained their embrace, murmuring familiar sentiments of love and tenderness, words spoken so often through the years that they spilled out now unthinkingly. They were safe again, supported in each other's arms like so many times before. Sakura and Kakashi breathed out their relief as one and on the wreckage of the battlefield they held each other tightly.

And held each other

Held each other

Held each other


End file.
